The word “green” is everywhere nowadays. All kinds of products are now being labeled as green. You may wonder what does the word “green” even mean? There are many ways a company or product can be sustainable. In general, the word refers to actions that minimize impacts on the environment. Sustainability is a concept that can be applied to any aspect of our lives. From how we eat to the buildings we live in, people are trying to damage the environment as little as they can.
This had led to a rise in green buildings around the world. Green buildings use water, electricity, and other resources as efficiently as possible. So it doesn’t matter whether you are starting to build a new house in Jackson Hole or remodeling in Provo, there is always scope for green living. Here are the top five reasons green buildings are a good investment:
You will save money in the long run
Research shows that green buildings can save owners by as much as six to seven times more money. This can be for a variety of reasons. Green buildings have technology that allows them to go energy-efficient. Automatic temperature control means that a stable temperature is being maintained indoors at all times. This saves on heating costs. You will also make better use of natural lighting—or use LED lights—which will reduce your electricity costs. You will use bathroom fixtures that will save water, which means that your water bill will also be lower.
Your employees will be more productive
Employees who work in green buildings are found to be more productive on average. This can be boiled down to the environmental differences between regular and green buildings. The latter use advanced technology to calibrate the environment to make it ideal for performance. If employees don’t have to constantly feel too hot or too cold or find that the room is insufficiently lit, they can work better. More use of natural light means that their sleep cycles don’t get disturbed by increased exposure to artificial light during the day.
You can reduce wastage
Green buildings don’t just save money on utilities. They are a good investment because they reduce wastage. This means that you won’t have to waste money buying new materials during the construction process. You can reuse wood and even brick from older buildings. Less manufacturing required means fewer impacts on the environment.
Your building’s value will go up
Most importantly, having a LEED-certified building will make your property value go up. Many homeowners look for a green building when they make their first purchase. You can charge more for goods produced in a LEED-certified facility, and this can serve as a unique selling point to customers.
All of these make changing your regular building into a green one a worthwhile investment. You can enjoy the feeling of doing good for the environment. The added costs of setting up the green building will be offset very soon by the monetary benefits that come with this improvement.